Robert Eggers Might Have Found His Next Project — And It’s Not What You Think

Robert Eggers has a lot of projects in the pipeline. The director has been working on his latest film, a remake of Nosferatu, for a decade — but now that it’s out in the world, Eggers is keen to get started on one of the many projects on his wishlist. He’s expressed interest in making a western, a medieval epic called The Knight, and a miniseries following the life of the mystic Rasputin, just to name a few. All those ideas sound pretty perfect, but before Eggers gets to any of it, he may make a detour into more family-friendly territory.

According to Hollywood scooper The Insneider, Eggers is already closing in on his next big-screen project. The film in question could be a remake of Labyrinth, the 1980s cult classic directed by Muppets creator Jim Henson. Sneider reports that Eggers is reteaming with Icelandic poet Sjón (with whom he co-wrote The Northman) to develop the script, while The Northman’s leading man, Alexander Skasgård, could take on the role of Jareth the Goblin King. David Bowie famously embodied the character in Henson’s original film, acting opposite a 14-year-old Jennifer Connelly.

Labyrinth follows the adventures of Sarah (Connelly), who finds herself transported into a far-flung fantasy land. When the Goblin King kidnaps her baby brother, she has to navigate a maze — complete with near-impossible puzzles, life-threatening traps, and an abundance of puppet creatures — to save him. While it didn’t make much of an impact at the box office, the intervening years have turned Labyrinth into a cult classic. Still, not every aspect of the film has aged well: its creature effects are obviously stunning, but its computer-generated visuals leave a lot to be desired. In that regard, it’s overdue for a remake, and while Eggers may seem like a surprising choice, he could be the perfect director for the job.

While Labyrinth has never gotten a sequel or reboot, it hasn’t been for a lack of trying. Rumors have swirled about a potential follow-up for years, starting in 2016, when Guardians of the Galaxy scribe Nicole Perlman was attached to develop a sequel. Alien Romulus director Fede Alvarez was later in talks to helm Labyrinth 2, but after years in production purgatory, Alvarez dropped the project to pursue other ideas. Scott Derrickson, the director of Doctor Strange and Black Phone, took his place in 2020, with Lisa Henson of The Jim Henson Company boarding as a potential producer. Derrickson’s Labyrinth sequel would have brought Connelly back to play a grown-up Sarah — but after another four years of setbacks, it seems like that idea has finally been abandoned.

If Sneider’s intel is accurate, then Eggers will be helming a straightforward remake of Henson’s 1986 film. It’d likely be the filmmaker’s first project to forgo an R-rating, though knowing Eggers, his Labyrinth would be just as bleak as his previous films. The premise also aligns with Eggers’ quiet fascination with fairy tales: from Nosferatu to The Northman and even his 2007 remake of Hansel and Gretel, the director is always looking for ways to reinterpret a classic story. It’d be fascinating to see what direction he takes something like Labyrinth, as Henson’s vision has always been unique. It’s not clear how Eggers would interpret this story, or if he’ll end up rebooting Labyrinth at all, given its track record. But this potential update should sound good for fans of the original film, as it could finally get the update it deserves.